THE SCOTTISH Conservative leader has blasted the First Minister’s latest programme for government, claiming Nicola Sturgeon’s administration is one that cannot deliver on promises made to the electorate.

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson criticised the new programme, based on 12 new bills, saying the Scottish government had failed to pass many of the bills it pledged last year.

She raged that Ms Sturgeon pledged 15 new bills in 2017, but her SNP government had only managed to pass a paltry two.

Addressing Hollyrood just after Ms Sturgeon had announced her new programme in a speech to the Scottish parliament, Ms Davidson detailed Ms Sturgeon’s failure to legislate, branding the new plans a “retread” of last year.

She said: “We’ve heard how much was promised last year but not delivered, so forgive us for treating this year’s programme for government with a gritter load of salt.

Ms Sturgeon plans to spend £250 million extra over four years to improve mental health treatment for children, spend up to £7.5 billion a year on new roads, schools and hospitals by 2026, and another £12m towards supporting ultra-low emission cars and buses.

But critics from opposition parties have said her plans are too timid, with some branding her government as “well past” its sell-by date.

In comments made ahead of her announcement for new policy plans in the coming year, Ms Sturgeon said Brexit must not derail the Scottish government’s plans for making Scotland and a fairer and more prosperous country.

She said: “Brexit heightens the importance of everything else we are doing as a government.

“The people of Scotland did not vote to leave the European Union, but in this parliamentary year, we are set to be taken out of the EU against our will – with continuing uncertainty around our future relationship with the world’s largest trading block, which is around eight times larger than the UK market alone.

“In the face of this uncertainty, we have to intensify our focus on improving the wealth and the wellbeing of communities across Scotland while continuing to argue the case for a common sense approach to Brexit – for continued membership of the single market and customs union.”